Manufacture of full-fashioned hosiery



March 5, 1946.

c. RICHTER MANUFACTURE OF FULL FASHIONED 'HQSIERY Filed March 14, 1942 6 Sheets-Sheet 1 RETAINED RE TAIN E D F RrqH'r HIGH HEEL LEG EYsm r March 5, 1946. c. RICHTER 39 MANUFACTURE OF FULL FASHIONED HOSIE RY Filed. March 14, 1942 I 6 Sheets-Sheet 2 RETAINED AFTER lsT CARRIER STROKE RETAINED RETAINED AFTER 2ND CARRIER 611cm:

RETAINED INVE TOR IATTOQNEYS March 5, 1946. c. RlCHTER MANUFACTURE OF FULL FASHIONED HOSIERY Filed March 14, 1942 6 Sheets-Sheet 3 VENTOR IZLLZR' TT NEY March 5, 1946. c. RICHTER 2,395,908 I MANUFACTURE OF FULL FASHIONED HOSIERY I Filed March 14, 1942 e snets-sneet 4 March 5, 1946. c. RlCHTER MANUFACTURE OF FULL FASHIONED HOSIERY Filed March 14, 1942 6 Sheets-Sheet 5 ATT RNEYS March 5 1946. c. RICHTER MANUFACTURE OF/FULL FASHIONED'HO'SIERY Fi'led March 14, 1942 'e sheets-sheet e .ENTOR Patented Mar. 5, 1946 OFFICE MANUFACTURE OF FULL-FASHIONE HOSIERY I Carl Richter, Chicago, Ill. I I Application March 14, 1942, Serial No. 434,689 (01. 66-29) I 8 Claims.

This invention relates to thema'nufacture of full fashioned hosiery, especially tothe knitting of flat, full fashioned stockings, such flat, full fashioned stockings being herein referred to as "stocking blanks.

Generally stated, the invention is concerned with improvement in the uniformity of knitting,

particularly at the line of junction between the leg and foot portions at the instep; and provi sion for automatic continuous knitting through the turn of the heel, with the starting edges of v the sole parts directly'knitted to the inner edges of the low heel parts, thereby eliminating certain operations and handling heretofore required.

, Thus, thelnvention eliminates the necessity for employing a separate footer machine, or the topping or looping operations heretofore required to join the sole and low heelparts of stocking blanks produced on single unit machines.

" Still further, the invention eliminates the relatively bulky seams heretofore formed in the stocking where sewing or looping was employed, subsequent to the knitting, to join the sole and low heel parts. I

The sequence of knitting operations employed in accordance with the present invention may be briefly outlined as follows:

In the first place, it is noted that the invention contemplates employment of'a machine of the single unit type capable of knitting not only the leg portion of the stocking blank, but also the foot portion thereof. The single unit machine of this invention incorporates certain new features and mechanisms illustrated in the drawings and described more fully hereinafter, all of which are arranged to achieve the general objects hereinbefore recited.

It may here be mentioned of the standard legger type'may be modified to incorporate the invention thereby, in effect, converting the standard legger'to a single unit machine. j I

In either case (either with a-standard legger or with a single unit machine), the knitting, as is customary, begins at the welt and continues through the leg or boot portion, toward the lower end of which the common high spliced heel parts are also knitted, oneadjacent each side of the blank.

At the transverse junction line between the leg and foot portions at the instep (in the intermediate portion of the blank), and between the high and low heel parts (at the sides of the blank), the present invention provides continuation of knitting, as follows:

First, the leg loops at the instep (from which the foot portion is'subsequently knitted) are retained on their-respective needles, and while so retained a multiplicity of courses areknitted in each-of the two low heel parts, as continuations of the high heel parts. I 1 During this knitting of the low heel parts, the loops of the low heel parts are transferred. outwardly. Although this outward transference .of

low heel loops may be efiected on every second or third carrier stroke, preferably it is effected after each stroke of the thread carriers. The outward transference of the low heel loops is .ef-

fected by means of narrowing fingers, which transfer the loops outwardly at each side,- in a manner generally similar to a widening operation,

After each stroke of the thread carriers, each low heel loop is moved outwardly to the next adjacent needle, thereby providing a blank needle at the inner edge of each lowfheel part. The

traverse of the thread carriers is arranged so that on the next stroke thereof a loop. is laid on the blank needles, these operations being repeated throughout the formation of the several courses of the low heel parts. i

As a result of the foregoing, loops areprogressively introduced at .each side of the leg loops (which are being retained on their needles), to which newly added loops the sole parts are directly knitted, following completion of the low heelparts. Thus, the sole parts are directly that even a machine knitted to the selvedge wale of the low heel parts, thereby eliminating the. ridge. heretofore commonly formed at the junction of the low heel parts and sole.

' In, contrast with the foregoing, the practices of the prior art resulted in the production of ridges at the junction .of thelow heelparts and the sole. For instance, in machines where the low heel loops were topped back onto needles at the-sides of the instep'loops, that topping operation was ordinarily effected at the line of the second or third wale of stitches, because of the impossibility of spreading the stitches (to forms. loose wale) at the selvedge wale. On the other hand, a similar ridge was heretofore formed in cases where thelow heel loops were topped onto a looping machine, forthe purposeof joining the low heel parts with the sole. During'continuan'ce of knitting through the footparts, a thread carrier traverses (not only the instep loops; but also the loops introduced at the sides of the sole loops (these added loops,

in effect, constituting. sole loops). Second or re-' i topped and then the blank placed in a separate footer. I i

As compared with prior processes and equipment, the present invention eliminates the necessity for sewing or looping the sole parts to the low heel parts, and provides a smoother junction between the sole and low heel parts, thereby making the stocking more comfortable to the wearer and, in addition, eliminating the handling required in looping operations. i Reduction of handling is of especial importance I in reducing the total number of fseconds produced and, as compared withmostprevious types of knitting and knitting machinery, less time labor and equipment are required; At the same time, the invention produces a stocking of the conventional full fashioned type, which is generally regarded as the most desirable and highest quality.

How the foregoing and other objects and advantages are attained will be clear from the following description referring-to the accompanying drawings, in which Figurel is a fragmentary plan line view of a full fashioned stocking-blank in accordance with the. invention;

Figure 2 is a stitch diagram, on an enlarged scale, of portions of a stocking blank adjacent the turn of the-heel, this diagram illustrating theright-hand side only; i r g Figures 3 to inclusive are enlarged views of the stitching in the right low heel portion of the blank, illustrating the manner'in which loops are introduced between the instep and right low heel;

Figure 11 is a front view of a portion of a knitting machine constructed inaccordance with the invention;

Figure 12 is a view taken. from the right of the machine shown in Figure 11; and

Figures 13 and 14 are enlarged views of parts of the mechanism shown in Figure 12, the views showing different positions of the parts. v

- Before considering the drawings in detail, it is first pointed out that Figures 1 to 10 inclusive are presented for purposes of illustration of the manner in which the improved knitting herein contemplated is effected, it being understood that certain variations may be adopted while still rediagram or outassaooa In considering the stocking blank, as shown in Figure 1, it is noted that the knitting commences with the welt (not shown) and continues through the leg, high spliced heel parts, low heel parts, instep and sole parts, and the toe. Because of the shaping" of the stocking blank. to fit the heel of the wearer, the blank is not completely flat, and in view of this, in Figure 1, portions of the blank adjacent the turn of the heel are illustrated as being furled. The line :c-z: applied to Figure 1 indicates the general region of which the right-hand portion is shown greatly enlarged in Figure 2. I

In Figure 2, the diagonal break is located in the region ofthe junction between the high and low heel parts at the right side of the blank. It a may also be mentioned that the diagram is not intended to indicate any exact number of courses of stitches knitted in the heel parts, since this may be varied according to the fineness of the knitting, size of the stocking being made, etc.

Asv above indicated, the knitting commences with the welt and continues down through the leg or boot portion, with the usual variations in width of the blank to fit the leg contour, At the commencement of the high spliced heel parts, ad-

..ditional or reenforcing thread carriers are introlines. At the turn of the heel,designated by .the

line .'ra: in Figure 1, reenforced low heel parts are continuously knitted although, at this time, the'loops at the junction of the leg and instep parts areretained on their needles until completion of the low heel parts. It is at the line 9-33) representing the turn. of the heel at which, in I accordance with the present invention, the knitting effects introduction of new loops between the low heel parts and the instep, whichnew loops (at eachside) constitute the inner selvedge wale of the low heel parts, the reenforced sole parts being'subsequently directly knitted to this selvedge wale. The manner in which the newly added loops are introduced is illustrated in. Figures 3 to 10.

In considering Figures 3 to 10, note first that legends have been applied not only to these figures, but also to Figures 1 and 2 so as to identify that small portion of the stocking being knitted heel, at the conclusion ofthe knitting of the right taining the essentials of the invention. Moreover, a

as to Figures ,11 to 14, it should be kept in mind that many features of the machine are illustrated merely by way of example, since the important features of the invention are applicable to a wide variety of machines. Still further, because of the complexity of knitting machines, Figures 11 to 14 have been simplified byextensive omission of'parts ation. i a

Indescribing the method and apparatus, it is of well known construction and/or operthought that an understanding of the features of pres 1 to 10 inclusive.

high heel part. (Note that two threads are here shown, since this portion of the stocking is reenforced.) The first step in making the turn of the heel and in commencing the knitting of the right low heelis represented by Figure 4, indicating the transference of a group at of low heel loops outwardly (to the right) to the next needle. Thistransference is efiected by a manipulation known per'se in thisart, leaving a blank needle M for the introduction of a new loop intermediate 1 the low heelloops and the leg loops which are beof stitches, as is illustrated in Figure 5. At this time the instep loops and two of the inner heel .loops are retained on their needles, as is indicated by the bracket in Figure 5. The thread carriers are then caused to move outwardly a distance of two needles, and simultaneously the group of stitches a2 is transferred outwardly as shown'in Figure 6, leaning another blank needle 112. The outward movement of the carriers just mentioned takes place while 'the sinkers hold the thread in back of the plane of the needles (which are at that time at the bottom .of their stroke). The thread, therefore, is properly positioned to lay a new loop on the new blank needle (n2) when the next following thread carrier stroke occurs. I o Y The stroke of the carriers just mentionedhas been completed in Figure 7, which illustrates a this carrier stroke, two additional loops are retained on their needlesras is indicatedby the bracket in Figure'7.

Proceeding to Figure 8, it will be seen that a group of stitches a3 has again been transferred outwardly to leave ablank needle 11.3 on which a movement of the-carriers and outward transference of loops at, as shown in Figure 10, provides another blank needle mi in a manner similar to that described above. During the' succeeding knitting operation, two additional loops are retained on their needles. 1

The foregoing series of steps .is repeated sumciently to provide the desired number of courses in the low heel parts. ,At the outer end ofeach low heel part the knitting is-preferably contine being applied to a machine of the Wildman type.

above mentioned,.thedrawings do not show many of the usual or standardparts' of the knitting machine, such parts being unnecessaryto an.understanding of the present invention. For i further details, reference may be made, for 'ex-' ample, to-Patents 1,986,577, 2,036,143, 2,076,127

- i and 2,170,278.

new course of stitches in the low heel part. After f number of stitches to the inch.

aThe needles are carried by a bar is which is @mounted by' means ofmember it to which the desired needlemotion is: imparted through links 100p isv laid after'the next inward stroke of the r carriers, as is illustrated in Figure 9.- Outward ued to provide a few raveling courses by: means of y I which the two low heel parts may be looped or sewed together, in accordance with known practice. Y Y I It will be observed in connection withthe foregoing that a progressively increasing number of loops are retained on their needles adjacent each side of the instep, these retained loops, in effect, constituting the marginal wale of the low heel part. In continuance'of knitting, i. e.,' in knitting the foot, the reenforced sole. parts are knitted directly from these added or interposed loops, In knitting the instep and sole parts, the instep and adjacent newly added loops are no longer retained on their needles, so that the knitting thereafter progresses in a manner similar to known practice, where low heel loops are topped and then returned to needles adjacent to the instep needles.

While the full description above of Figures 3 to 10 inclusive referred only to the knitting of the right low heel part, it may be mentioned that a generally similar but inverted series of steps takes place in the formation of the "left low heel part. Certain differences in timing cit-operations are required, as is mentioned hereinafter in connection with the equipment ures 11 to 14.

In connection with the foregoing described method of knitting at the turn of the heel, it is mentioned that on the inwardstrokes of the thread carriers, at both sides of the blank, it is important that the carriers move at least one needle beyond the blank needle (note Figures 5 and 9). It is also of importance, on the subse-'- illustrated in Fi quent widening, that the carriers move outward-.

1y at least two needles, so as to position the thread to form a loop on the newly provided blank needle (see Figures 6 and 10). i

Equipment for effecting the foregoing knitting may be of relatively simple construction, readily adaptable to existing knitting machines of varioustypes. A preferred-form of equipment for and arms, includinglevers l1 and I8 which move together about the axis of shaft. l9, arm I! being swung by cam, 20 mounted on the camshaft 2|, which ordinarily is employed in machines of this type to carrya series of cams adaptedto effect many of theoperations ofthe machine. Cam22 also impartsmovement to the needles through arm23 and link 24.

i The details of the needle motion and the actuating mechanism therefor need not beconsidered' herein since they form no part of the present invention per se. It may be mentioned, however,

that when thelneedles "go to press the normally open beards ,25'are closed by engagement with the press bar 26, so as to permit the loops on the needles at that time to be disengaged.

The mechanism further includes sinkers 21 and I knock-over bits 28, which parts may be of conventional construction and arrangement, and

may, be operated in the; known manner, these parts cooperating withthe needles in effecting the several operations and steps involved in the knitting. v

Narrowing fingers are arranged at each side of the machine, one being shown at the top right of Figure ll. As there seen, each narrowing fin- I ger has aset of narrowing points carried by a plate 30, mounted; on a bar 3|, which bar.'as is well understood in this art, is arranged formovement so as to bring the narrowing flngers'downwardly and into: engagement with needles 1:, so as to lift off the loops carried by the needles, whereupon the bar 3! is shifted lengthwise of the needle bar and again brought" downwardly into engagement with other needles, to replace the loops thereon. This type of narrowing finger, and the actuatingmechanism therefor, is commonly employed ,to effect-the leg and foot narrowings. Al-

' though only one narrowing finger is illustrated, it will be understood that ordinarily one islocated toward each end of the needle bar. As brought out more fully hereinafter, these sets of narrowing fingers are employed in the novel heel knitting herein contemplated to transfer groups of stitches outwardly, Turning again to the action of the needles 1:

when going to press, it is now pointed out that in I with the present invention, for the 1 purpose of preventing the instep loops (along line :v-x in Figure 1) frombeing disengaged accordance from the needles (aswould occur when the needles go to press). provision is made for holding the needles away from the press bar 26. This is accomplished by means of plates -32 and 83. As

viewed in Figure 11, these plates substantially completely'overlap each other. each having on this purpose is illustrated in Figures 11 to 14 as beards and the needle bar. l5; When these plates come into action, those needles which are engaged thereby are deflected as the needle bar I5 is moved toward the press bar 26. The beards of the needles in the central region are, therefore,

kept open and the loops carried thereby are retained thereon.

The plate 32 is supported by a member 34 carried by a bearing 35which, in turn, is mounted on an internally threaded sleeve 36 having end flanges 31-31. Sleeve 36 is restrained as against rotation about its axis by means of an apertured lug 38 projecting therefrom and engaging a guide rod 39. Sleeve 33 is threaded onto a screw 40 upon rotation of which the sleeve and the plate 32 carried thereby are caused to move lengthwise of the needle bar,'thereby shifting the position of the plate 32 to engage different needles.

Similar mechanism is provided for mounting plate 33, but since this mechanism is essentially the same as that described for plate 32, repetition of the description is not thought necessary. It should be noted, however, that the screw 4| for plate 33 is threaded in the opposite sense, the necessity for which will appear more fully hereinafter in the description of certain other parts of the mechanism. i

The bearing 35 on which plate 32 is mounted (and also the corresponding bearing for plate 33) further carries a rearwardly projecting arm 42 having a forked end 43-43 embracing rod 44 which extends between and ismounted in a pair of spaced arms 45-45 rigid with member 46,

which latter is integral or rigid with a lever 41 pivoted at 48. Lever 41 carries a cam follower 49 positioned to cooperate with cam 50, so that upon rotation of cam 50 the lever41 is caused to oscillate upwardly and downwardly about the axis of pivot .43. This, movement of the lever is transmitted through rod 44 to arms 42, with which latter the'plates 32 and 33 are rigidly connected (through bearings 35). The oscillative movement of the plates 32 and 33 brings the upper edges of these plates into and out of operative position, i. e., into and out of that position in which the plates will keep the adjacent needles from going to press.

Any of various known mechanisms may be adopted for the purpose of rendering the plates 32 and 33 effective and ineffective, it being mentioned that in certain portions of the knitting, operation of the plates is not desired. For example, at the time when a narrowing is effected, as by bodily shift of the entire cam shaft 2| in the known manner, the follower :roller 49 will then ride on the so-called "narrowing side of the cooperating actuating cam, the said narrowing side being round and being shown in Figure'll just to the left of cam 50. During normal knitting the plates 32 and 33 may be placed into and out of operation byemployment of various known types of cam roller shifters such as those used in the Wildman type of machine above mentioned, for example as illustrated in Patent 2,076,127 above referred to.

During the knitting of each stocking blank the plates 32 and 33 are initially positioned in overlapping relation in the manner illustrated in Figure 11. As the knitting progresses through the stages described above in relation to Figures 3 to ,10, these plates 32 and 33 are successively moved outwardly, one toward one end of the needle bar and the other toward the other end, so as to proand 33 is described just below.

It is first noted that the movement of each' plate (32 M33) is effected'by rotation of the screw (40 or 4|): on which that plate is mounted. For this p rpose ratchet mechanism is arranged at the outer ends of the two screws, the mechanism being illustrated only at the right hand end ir Figure 11, since the parts at both ends are ess tially similar.

, lurning now to Figures 13 and 14, it will be seen that a ratchet 5| is mounted on' the screw 40, this ;..i et "ceing engageable by a pawl 52 carried by r 1 oscillating double ended bar 53 rotatrvely mounted about the axis of screw 40. Spring 54 urges the pawl toward engaged position. The double ended bar 53 is caused to oscillate by means of a link 55, the lower end of which is pivoted to one arm 56 of a bell crank, the other arm 51 of which is-connected to lever 58 by a link 59. Lever 58 is pivoted at 60 and carries a cam follower 6| adapted to engage cam .movement of the ratchet, in turn, rotates the screw 40 and effects progressive step-by-step movement of plate 32.

To ensure advancement of ratchet 5| and screw 40 in steps of the desired angular distance, a notched wheel 63 is also rigidly mounted on screw shaft. 40 and a spring-pressed plunger 64 is positioned to cooperate with they notches in this wheel, the notches and plunger both being of angular self-centering shape. 7

On alternate revolutions of the cam shaft 2| 3 (to provide for the desired sequence. of knitting V operations) advancement of the ratchet 5| by pawl 52 is not desired. Mechanism is, therefore, provided for rendering the pawl 52 inefieotive to advance the ratchet on every alternate revolution of the cam shaft 2|. This mechanism includes a shroud 65 oscillatively mounted about the axis of the threaded shaft 40 and movable by means of an arm 66 which is actuated by link 61 extending downwardly and coupled with arm 68, this arm being pivotally mounted on a fixed part, as indicated at 69, to provide freedom for upward and downward swinging movement of the arm. Arm 68 carries a pin 1|] adapted to ride on the surfaces of a cam or star wheel 1| fixed to shaft 12. A ratchet 13 is also keyed to shaft 12, this ratchet being engageable by a pawl 14 mounted on arm 1.5, which is rigid and moves with the two arms 55 and 51 of the bell crank above described.

Spring 16-urges the pawl into engagement with ber of projections from the star wheel 1| is equal to one-half the number of teeth on ratchet 13, in view of which one actuation of cam follower 6| (one revolution of cam shaft 2|) causes the link 61 to move downwardly, and the next actuation of the cam follower 6| causes the link 61 to move will be clear from i I 12,395,905 upwardly; Figure 1a illustrates the partsin the inspection of Figure 14, in which thelink 61 isv in its lower position, the shutter 65 being raised so as to'abut the active end of pawl 52'j and prevent it from engaging the teeth of ratchet;5|. In this way pawl 52' advances ratchet 5| only upon alternate revolutions of thecam "shaft 2|, this beingdesirable in order to secure the desired timing of the rotation of screw 4lllwith respect to other knitting operations.

With the foregoing .in' mind, attended is new called to-Figure 11, which also illustrates certain of the parts'described just above,- From Figure 11 it will further be seen that shaft I 2 extends across the machine, the star wheel 1| being mounted toward one end thereof. A similar star wheel would, of course, be mounted toward the opposite end of shaft 12 for actuation of parts associated with screw 4| for plate 33.

In additiomit should be noted that arms 56 and 51 of the bell crank hereinbefore referred to project in different planes (transversely of shaft 12), although these arms are interconnected by abar 11 which extends throughout the length of shaft 12, being provided. at the oppositeend with a counterpart of arm 56 with which another link (counterpart of link 55) is associated for the purpose of actuating the ratchet for advancing screw 4|. Thus, similar partsmay be used at pposite ends of the machine, and the description of the parts at the right of Figure 11 will sufilce for the present purposes.

said' solefparts being directly knitted to said; sel, 'vage'waleloopsr" 1 2. In' the -knitting o'f a fun fashioned stockin blank," the steps which-comprise (a) knitting the -leg and high helrp'arts; (b) retainingthe' instep loops on theirrespective ne'edle'sduringthe knit- "tin-g of a multiplicity-of coursesjo'f stitches to v form low heeliparts, one adjacent each side of theblank; (0) shiftingthe lowheel loops out- I wardlyto provide 'a'blank needle adjacenfith'e' inner edge iofreach low heel part; (d) on a single; thread carrier stroke forming a course of stitchesin eachlowfheelpart including a loop oneach' blankneedle; ('e) retaining said 'last loops on their needlesgalong with said instep loops (1), i gainshifting thefcours'e :of loops for'each low heel part outwardlygto provide ablank needle atthelihner edge of each-low heel part;'(g) on thereturn threadfcarrier stroke forming a course I loops on their needles along with the loop pre- With further reference to the arrangement of parts toward opposite ends ofthe machine for actuating screws and 4 I, respectively, it should be mentioned that the star'wheels H are keyed to shaft 12 in positions angularly offset from each other by so that the pawls which actuate.

the screws 40 and 4| operate on alternate rotations of the cam shaft 2|, thi being necessary since all of the thread carriers of'the machine move in the same direction on any one stroke and since (in accordance with the discussion above referring to Figures 3 to 10) the plates-32 and 33 must be moved outwardly to restrain additionai needlesfrom going to press alternately and not simultaneously. In further explanation,

attention is again directed to Figures 3 tom and i I the above description bringing out that additional loops are retained on the needles adjacent the instep at the time of each outward movement of the thread carriers on the right-hand side. The

viously retained; (1i); repeating stepson to h in 'clusive a multiplicityof times to-conjointly knit,

thelow heel parts and to dispose the inner selvage walesof the low heel parts on needles adjoining the instep needles and thereby provide Wale loops for knitting sole .parts to the-inner edges of'the'low heel parts; and (1') thereafter conjointly knitting courses of stitches to continue the instep portion and to form sole parts, v. r

the courses ofstitches forming the sole parts being knitted from the inner edge wales of the low heel parts. i

-3. In the knitting of aruu fashioned stockin blank, the steps which comprise (a) knitting the leg and high heel parts; (1)) retaining the instep loops ontheir respective needles during the knitting of .a. multiplicity of courses of stitches to formlow heel parts, one adjacent each side of the blank; (0) shifting the low'heel loops'out-f wardly to provide a. blank needle adjacent the inner edge of eachlow heel part; (d) eflecting a stroke of two thread carriers for each low heel same is true for the left-hand side, i. e., additional needles must be prevented from going to press when the carriers move outwardly on the left-hand side. Y

Iclaim: I p v 1. In the knitting of a full fashioned stocking blank, the steps which comprise retaining the instep loops on the needlesduring the knitting of a multiplicity of courses ofstitche's in low heel parts, one at each edge-of the blank, progres-" part, to form a course of stitches in each low r heel part including loops on each blank needle} (6) retainingsaidlast loops on their needles along with said instep loops? (1) again; shifting the loops for each-low'heel part outwardly to provide a blankneedle at the inneredge of'each low heel part; (g) on the return stroke of said threadcarrier's for each low heel part forming. a

course of stitches in eachlowheel part including loops on each blank needle; (It) retaining said" last loops On their needles alon with the loops previously retained; (i) repeating steps to to h f "inclusive a multiplicity of times to conj ointly knit the low heel parts and to disposethe'inner selvag'e walesof the low heel parts Oi -needles ad-j' joining the instep needle and thereby provide 1 wale loops for knitting sole parts v to'theinner edges of the low heel parts; and (9) thereafter conjointly knitting courses of stitches to continue the instep portion and to form the sole parts, A the coursesof stitches forming the sole parts being knittedfrom the inner edge wales of the low heel'parts.

4. Inc. stocking machine having a multiplicity of needles and a press bar for closing the needie beards to permit knitted loopsto bedisengaged therefrom, means for progressively shifting the low heeltloops at each sideputwardly during the knitting or the low heel parts, mechanism for restraining certain needlesfrom going" to press including a pair of overlapping members positioned adjacent instep needles; members being mounted for movement respectively toward opposite sides of the machinewhereby tore strain additional needles from going re r ss-rand means for moving said members as aforesaid in step-'by-step fashionduring theknitting of the 7 lowheelparts. D a 5. A construction in accordance with c aim A in which the mounting means for each of said 7 members includes a screw threaded element adapted upon rotation to move the: members carried thereby outwardly to engage and restrain additional needles from going to press;

the needlebeards to permit loops to. be'disengaged therefrom; and further having narrowing fingers adapted to transfer groups of loops out, wardly at eachside of the stocking, mechanism for restraining needles from going. to pressintermediate those with which'the narrowing fingers are positioned tocooperate, including a'pair of overlapping members movable outwardly one toward one side of the stocking and the othe'rto- I ward the other side of the stocking, whereby to 6. In a stocking knitting'machinefhaving a I multiplicity -,of needles, a press harfor closing 115 after each outward preventpadditionat needles from .going to press v transference of loops by said narrowing fingers.

7. A construction in accordance with claim 6 and further incorporating a screw thread mountin'gfor. each ofv said members, and means for altemateiy-actuating said screw thread mountings to alternately move said members outwardly.

8. ma stocking knitting machine having a multiplicity of needles, mechanism for use in knitting the turn of the heel including means for restraining instep needles 'from. going to press, separate'means toward eachside of the machine providing for progressive increase in the number of needles restrainedfromgoingto press during ,.th e knitting of thelow heel part of the stocking, and actuating mechanism. for said last 'means, operating. alternately'thereon to provide ,for. alternate progressive increase. in the number of needlesrest'rained from going to press at on- Dosite sides of the center of the machine.

g CAR 'Rrc HTER. 

